Building high-end 'tables cheap at Home Despot II

Thanks, Trav. I did visit Heaven and did see the photos you mention. It looks kind of crude to me in that the string is passing over two abrasive metal surfaces. I would rather go Jean's way, drill a new hole (as you evidently did do) and line it with some sort of ceramic or brass grommet so the string only passes over the smooth side of a single grommet. That's if I ever get around to trying this mod. I am impressed with the unanimously favorable reviews, but I want to know more about the why of it. That's just me. What about unscrewing the post that holds the end of the spring, and using the hole thus made available for the string to pass thru? That would be simple as simple can be, and it would preserve the factory-determined vector of the force pulling on the idler arm. Unless that hole leads to solid slate on my turntable.

Won't work, Lew. Unless the hole is precisely positioned per Jean's template, the thread will run into stuff and the weight will not have space in which to move up and down.

I think the reason you can't use that hole is the weight and string won't be clear of the motor. There is a small area that you can be drilled so the string and weight clear the motor. And I think the new angel of pull is good, no problem with that.

The "theories" behind why it works is a more constant pull vs. the spring and we can achieve maximum torgue. It seems 1.5oz is enough but you could experiment with different amounts of weight within that range. Just use enough weight till you get max torque. You can feel with your finger that the platter gets pretty hard to stop when max torque is achieved. All that is thought to give better speed stability and helps the turntable deal with stylus drag. And also some think the "twangy" spring resonates more noise into the platter and or plinth.

I agree you want a smooth surface for the string to slide on so drilling the hole and fitting a rod with smooth top is the way to go.

Correction "angel" of pull should read "angle" of pull. My spelling is awful.

Trav, Don't you think there might be an "Angel of Pull"? And she has no doubt spoken to Jean.